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🇿🇦 South Africa /Conflict & Security

Philippines says China could exploit cuts to US-South Korean exercises

From Daily Maverick · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire Named sources Context piece
  • Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said China could exploit the reduction in U.S.-South Korean exercises to reassert itself in the Indo-Pacific.
  • He said Manila had received firm assurances that changes to exercises in South Korea would not affect the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.
  • The Philippines is expanding security partnerships and reviewing a submarine acquisition program while seeking stronger safeguards against espionage and foreign influence.

China could move quickly to exploit any gap created by reduced U.S.-South Korean military exercises, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said. Speaking on the sidelines of the Seoul Defense Dialogue, he warned that the change could signal an opening for Beijing across the Indo-Pacific.

“It is a possibility, of course. China is very quick to exploit gaps,” Teodoro said. “If we're talking about the Indo-Pacific as a whole, then it may signal some opportunity for China to reassert itself.”

It is a possibility, of course. China is very quick to exploit gaps.

· Gilberto TeodoroHe responded to a question about whether China could exploit reduced U.S.-South Korean military exercises.

He said the Philippines had received “definite assurances” from Washington and that there was “no indication” the changes in South Korea would affect U.S. commitments under the two countries’ Mutual Defense Treaty. Manila has continued expanding military cooperation with the United States, including joint exercises and greater access for U.S. forces to Philippine military facilities.

The Philippines is also broadening its defense relationships. Teodoro said Manila had recently concluded agreements with Canada and New Zealand, signed a visiting forces agreement with France and was negotiating a similar pact with Britain. He accused China of increasingly combining military and maritime pressure with influence operations, and said the Philippines was pursuing stronger espionage and foreign influence laws.

If we're talking about the Indo-Pacific as a whole, then it may signal some opportunity for China to reassert itself.

· Gilberto TeodoroHe described the broader strategic risk of the exercise reductions.

Teodoro expressed caution about possible joint oil and gas exploration talks with China. He said it would be doubtful that economic cooperation could be separated from longstanding sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea.

South Korea remains an important defense supplier to the Philippines, providing FA-50 aircraft, frigates and other equipment as Manila modernizes its armed forces. Teodoro said the Philippines wanted deeper industrial cooperation and access to emerging defense technologies, but added that its long-discussed submarine program remained under review because of questions about mission requirements and substantial infrastructure needs.

The submarine program is still under review.

· Gilberto TeodoroHe described the status of the Philippines' planned submarine acquisition program.
About this summary

Originally published by Daily Maverick in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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